Requiring photo identification to vote in Wyoming could alienate a large number of the state’s older voters who don’t drive or have state-issued IDs, Wyoming AARP says.
That could happen under legislation Secretary of State Chuck Gray is advocating for that would require photo identification for all voters. Gray is pushing for the legislation as part of his larger efforts to tighten voting requirements and help prevent nonresidents and undocumented people from voting in Wyoming elections.
“Ensuring that the required identification includes a photo is pivotal to ensuring that the purpose of voter ID, which is to ensure a voter is who they say they are, is fulfilled,” Gray told Cowboy State Daily on Thursday.
But the head of the Wyoming chapter of AARP says that could unintentionally block many seniors who don’t have photo IDs.
2021 To Now
In 2021, Gray helped pass legislation establishing tighter voter ID requirements, but that bill did not require mandatory photo identification from those attempting to vote.
“There were amendments made to the original bill after (Wyoming) AARP raised their original concern that have since addressed their concern,” Gray said.
Now, Gray wants to address this avenue, mentioning it as part of his legislative priorities during a press conference held last month at the Capitol.
As secretary of state, Gray does not make laws and must rely on legislators to take up his agenda, but the Wyoming Freedom Caucus has made it abundantly clear it intends to carry this torch for Gray.
According to the American Bar Association, there are 36 states with voter identification laws, of which 24 that require photo ID to vote, including Idaho, Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska.
Sam Shumway, Wyoming AARP state director, said he hasn’t seen any voting issues since Gray’s voter ID bill passed into law in 2021 and doesn’t see a need for the new law.
“Doing something that could potentially disenfranchise a bunch of older voters — that feels like a solution looking for a problem,” he said.
At his December press conference, Gray said the biggest problem with allowing non-photo identification to vote is voter impersonation.
“Ensuring that the person who comes to the polls that is on the registration list that they are who they say they are,” Gray said. “That’s one of the central goals that you’re trying to effectuate with voter ID.”
According to the Brennan Center for Justice, while voting fraud is very rare, voter impersonation is virtually nonexistent, and many instances of alleged fraud are, in fact, mistakes by voters or administrators.
Non-citizens are not permitted to vote in state and federal elections anywhere in the U.S., but there are some states where they are allowed to vote in local elections.
Gray also wants to bring legislation this year that would require proof of Wyoming residency.
Impacts Seniors And The Disabled
Although requiring a photo identification to vote may seem logical, there are some legitimate instances where people don’t have it, Shumway said.
Many people who are homebound, living in nursing or long-term care homes, and those with disabilities, do not have a photo ID. Often, people will stop driving due to advanced age and simply never get a state ID card when they make this life change.
Shumway said his father, who has stopped driving because of an eye condition, falls into this demographic.
“There’s no reason that he would renew his driver’s license,” Shumway said. “Whether you’re in a nursing home or whether you’re just living at home, there are many reasons why you would not have a driver’s license. Those are the people we’re concerned about. We don’t want those people to show up and be told, ‘Sorry, you don’t get to vote.’”
A Wyoming driver's license or ID card, Tribal ID card, valid U.S. passport, U.S. military card, driver’s license or ID card from another state, University of Wyoming student ID, Wyoming community college student ID and Wyoming public school student ID are all accepted forms of identification to vote in Wyoming.
Currently, a valid Medicare or Medicaid insurance card is for the most part the only form of non-photo identification accepted, but there are certain instances where a college ID may not have a photo included as well. Gray’s 2021 ID bill put an expiration date on Medicaid and Medicare cards being accepted for 2029.
“When the state allows IDs that do not have a photo on them as a voter ID, it defeats a key purpose of the election integrity measure,” Gray said. “That is why we are working to require a photo on all ID’s.”
AARP said it’s been told by Wyoming county clerks that the use of these non-photo cards is rare but helpful when used by older voters who may have nothing else to identify themselves with.
There are also a few forms of non-photo identification allowed for registering to vote in Wyoming, but two forms of these documents are required. Gray’s proposal would have no impact on voter registration.
The Numbers
People age 65 and older are historically the strongest voting bloc in American elections.
“They take it seriously and want to go cast their vote,” Shumway said of this age demographic. “Anything that’s going to diminish that or compromise that potentially, we’re concerned about.”
AARP found that more than two-thirds of the 198,089 voters in Wyoming’s 2022 midterm election were over the age of 50. It also reports that 20% of older adults nationwide over the age of 60 no longer have a driver’s license.
According to National Conference of State Legislatures data, Wyoming has around 2,000 residents in certified nursing facilities. Under the federal Nursing Home Reform Act, nursing homes that accept Medicaid or Medicare funds must support residents in exercising their rights as U.S. citizens and federal law also entitles all long-term care residents to get help with voting from others who are willing to provide it.
A 2024 report by the University of Maryland’s Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement found that 20% of people who self-identified as having a disability do not have a license, and an additional 9% have a license but without their current name and/or address, compared to 6% of non-disabled people who do not have a license and an additional 13% who have a license but without their current name and/or address.
In addition, 15% of adult citizens either do not have a driver’s license or state ID, or have one that may cause difficulties voting in states with strict photo ID laws.
More than half of Americans living in states requiring photo ID to vote in-person do not know their state’s voting laws and do not know they’ll need this type of identification to vote.
Free ID Cards
As part of Gray’s legislation, the state of Wyoming provides free ID cards with a photo included for any legal resident who wants one. Gray believes this alone should alleviate AARP’s concerns.
“These IDs can be attained if an individual decides not to renew their driver’s license,” Gray said.
He also said after talking to AARP members about the issue, an overwhelming amount said they support the state’s voter ID requirements and strengthening them.
A University of Wyoming poll conducted this summer revealed that 92% of residents are satisfied with Wyoming’s current voter ID laws.
“The Equality State Policy Center believes a fair and inclusive democracy depends on ensuring every eligible voter can participate without unnecessary barriers, especially when decisions to restrict voting further are often based on inflated anecdotes about fraud,” said Marissa Carpio, an Equality State representative.
Shumway said there are some problems with Wyoming’s elections code he’d like to see addressed, such as rooting out dark money in the state’s elections.
“That’s an area I think Wyomingites are genuinely concerned about,” he said.
Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.
